Reflections and Resolutions
Ahhh, the beach. A great place to reflect (we left after 5 minutes to go mini-golfing).
This year has been CRAZY. Just crazy. My first year as an adult and out of school. I’m not sure if I even have the words to describe this year.
We are a few days hours away from 2025, and I’ve been in a rather reflective mood, and yet, no words can come to mind. So, I thought I would just show it to you all. Here is a bulleted and rather concise monthly play-by-play with one iconic photo to represent a highlight of the month.
2024 in Review:
January
After almost 9 months of long distance, Jimmy came back from his time abroad
He brought the snow from Switzerland with himself!
Jimmy and I went to Atlanta
We visited the Georgia Aquarium, and I cried when I saw the shark exhibit. Tiger sharks, hammerheads, and information on shark conservation and even a wall highlighting the queen of sharks herself, Eugenie Clark
I got an endoscopy (spoiler alert… it was nothing), and think I bothered the anesthesiologist a lot
Signed up for a trail half marathon in November 2024
February
Went on an insanely fun day trip to ski at Whitetail with my older brothers and one of my brother’s friends from school
They were all international and SO much fun to spend time with! We plan to go again this year
Blasted Quevedo in the car ride back home and screamed along
It was one of the best days ever! First time I’d had that much fun in a long time
Jimmy and I celebrated Valentine’s Day together!
I studied a bunch for my GEICO interview (Jimmy forced me to LeetCode everyday)
March
I got a call in early March that I was hired at GEICO! Woohoo! After over 100 apps, and a few final interviews, I finally got a job!
Saw one of my favorite bands, Benches, and even got to meet them!!!
Celebrated Nowruz, AKA Persian New Year
Jimmy and I flew to Iceland!!!!!!
Had an amazing time staying with Jimmy’s friend and his family, who were the kindest people ever
Highlights of the trip include seeing a volcano erupt on our first night there, going to the president of Iceland’s house at like 1am, meeting Icelandic horses (and having them follow me), and seeing the most beautifully epic waterfalls
April
Celebrated my beautiful grandma’s birthday! I am so grateful to have spent her special day with her!!
Cheered on Jimmy and his sister as they ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in DC! I told myself I would run it the next year (I was rejected)
Celebrated my 22nd birthday!!! Jimmy and my friends threw me an amazing surprise party where I got very special visits from Rhea and Aneesa :D
Went to my mom’s school, each of Jimmy’s parents schools, and his sister’s school for Take Your Child to Work Day
It is a tradition for us and a rather special day for our relationship
Went to Maryland Day! Another special day for Jimmy and I
May
My cousin and my aunt from Sweden came to the U.S.!
Ran my first proper 5k race since I was a kid
Went to Rowan’s house in Deep Creek as a grad trip and it was SO EPIC
Kayak, polar plunge, hot tub, repeat
Finally GRADUATED!!! Now I understand when people say graduation ceremonies are boring
Said goodbye to Jimmy as he headed down to TX for another summer there and another summer of long distance
June
Grad parties on grad parties on grad parties on grad parties (I was too lazy to throw my own)
Joined Jimmy in Texas for two weeks!
Started climbing! We went climbing every single day and I was also starting to train for my half marathon. Jimmy is very skilled so having him as my instructor was great
Went to a Copa America game (USA vs. Bolivia) (Pulisic had a SCREAMER of a goal)
Saw the Stockyards Cattle Drive
I LOOOOVE COWSSSS
LONGHORN COWS
Fed a family of stray cats and got over 40 mosquito bites doing so
Came back home and saw Joep Beving in concert for the second time, but had a terrible headache throughout the show
July
Headache got worse, ended up in the ER thinking I had West Nile Virus as there were cases in TX where I was bitten
Turned out to be mono… told I can’t exercise for months or else my SPLEEN could burst
Wtf does a spleen do… serious question
Was bedridden for weeks until I finally started feeling better
Half marathon canceled
Anxiety highest it probably had ever been
Started work mid-July— loved my team and my boss!
Rearranged my room!
Broke my foot after slipping on my dad’s sandal while going down the stairs
Depression
August
My boss got laid off and so did a member of my team
Was moved to a different team which was completely different and not my vibe at all
Went to Watkins Glen NY, Thousand Islands NY, and PA Grand Canyon
Could barely walk let alone hike
Joined Jimmy in Atlanta on his way back from his drive from Dallas —> MD
We went on a 15 hour road trip from Atlanta through the Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah
Got my first ever curly hair cut
It was too short :(
Met a stray cat outside Jimmy’s house in CP and fell in love with her, named her Suki
Attempted to walk a 5k I had signed up for… foot was hurting a lot the whole time but powered through
Had signed up for it with my run club, and we were sponsored by lululemon! Crazy
Ordered a “big girl purse” for myself on Etsy! This lady in Greece handmade it :0! I’m a working girl!
September
Fell in love with Brookside Gardens after visiting and seeing the HUGE TURTLES!!!
Fell in love with this miniature cow that was at a petting zoo outside my grandma’s apartment
Went to two music festivals in a single weekend! My first time ever going to a music festival
Ocean’s Calling: Jimmy and I FTFO during Young the Giant. I was on the jumbotron! I passed out right as All-American Rejects were starting. Missed The Killers.
All Things Go: Fulfilled a dream of seeing Hozier. It was so cloudy and muddy that day. And slippery and gross. Saw so many people I knew.
Housesat at Jimmy’s aunt’s house which is just so BEAUTIFUL and fun!! Took care of their wiener dog Tootsie and their cat (who was aloof)
Went to RenFest for the first (?) time. Mehhh!!!
October
Went to NYC with Emma and Joy to visit Viv for her birthday!!!
Saw a lot of famous people
Ate amazing food
Met awesome people
Stopped by Rhea’s apartment and said hello to Mr. Billster
NORTHERN EFFING LIGHTS OUTSIDE MY HOUSE!!?? WHAT IN THE WORLD
Went on a “birthday” trip up to the finger lakes in NY with Jimmy
Surprise: it wasn’t a birthday trip :)
We stayed in this super cool glamping bubble. It was made of glass and you could see the stars so well
Visited the beautiful Letchworth State Park to see the fall foliage, went on a boat on a lake, went to a farmer’s market, pet a cat
Went into the office for the first time and HAD SO MUCH FREAKING FUN
Met so many people and felt like my peak self!
Bought myself a freaking CAR and I’m obsessed with him. His name is Guillermo
Stopped by Technica and said hi to many familiar faces :)
Went to Butler’s Orchard for their pumpkin festival! And man, was it CROWDED
November
Climbed for the first time in a long time (or maybe I went in October too)
Went on a double date with Jimmy and two Persian grad school students at UMD who were effing hilarious
Had a wonderful family reunion where my cousin surprised me!
Celebrated a smaller Thanksgiving at home with my mom’s cousins, who each brought over a dog!!!
December
Went to Zoo Lights and then met up with my friends from Model UN afterwards! Had a blast playing Geoguessr and talking about movies and books and just catching up
Went to a petting zoo where they rescue animals, and pet those things like there was no tomorrow
Went to SportRock for the first time … Jimmy and I are obsessed with it. We will be getting memberships.
Had an awesome quadruple date with my family
Did sunset drive with Jimmy for a few nights in a row which were breathtaking and so peaceful! I want to see more sunrises/sunsets in 2025!
Celebrated Christmas at home as always but Jimmy joined this year! And it was SO MUCH FUN!!! We drove to his beach house later that night
Babysat my aunt’s dog for a few days… what a good pup
And that leaves me here, at today! December 31st.
For the past few years, I’ve been documenting a 1 second snippet from every day. It always feels a bit emotional to watch the video at the end of the year — seeing it is what I imagine my life flashing through my eyes to feel like. I actually was inspired to do this during my freshman year of college, when I saw none other than Rowan’s instagram post about her 1 Second Everyday diary (funnily enough, Rowan and I didn’t even know each other then! I didn’t realize it was her at the time, but we then met on my first day at UMD and I realized a bit later she was the one who inspired me heheh). Anyways — I just feel like the days are going by so quickly, and watching my 1SE diary brings me back to every single one of those moments that I documented. It helps me relive what feels like a very fast-paced life.
Entering 2024, I had decided not to set any New Year’s Resolutions. I thought they were stupid– I thought that it was just a superficial list of empty promises for people to fantasize about, unattainable goals they forget about 2 weeks into the new year. Looking back now, I feel regretful that I didn’t make a list of resolutions for 2024. I’m ending the year unsure of what I’ve really accomplished, if I’ve been able to check off the goals I wanted to achieve a year ago.
While I don’t think the start of a new year is inherently meaningful (I think it is an extremely arbitrary day), I love that we humans have chosen to give it meaning. We’ve chosen to make each new year a clean slate, to be filled with adventures, goals, travels, love, and more. To take a chance and become the best versions of ourselves!
This has inspired me to write my 2025 resolutions list. To avoid making this blog post unnecessarily long, I’ll add my top 5:
Travel more, whether it’s down the street or to a different continent
Actually start reading, and read books that will help my brain
Buy less! If you need something, buy secondhand. I HAVE TOO MANY THINGS!!!
Move EVERY day. It’s so easy to be sedentary working remotely from home. Walk, jog, yoga, lift, tennis, climb, whatever it is, just DO IT!!!!
Schedule each month to include social events, days spent in nature, dates (solo or otherwise), a day with no screens, a movie night, a self-care day, etc!
And one more for good luck, inspired by the lovely Hannah Lee: SEND MORE SNAIL MAIL!!! The feeling of opening a letter from a loved one is UNPARALLELED.
So, I encourage you! Write a list of your 2025 resolutions. And if you’re up for it, comment one thing you’d love to do in the new year. Oh and by the way— it’s never too late for a resolution. Any day can be your new year, every day is a new chance to better yourself.
Toodles and hugs and happy 2025!
